Childhood of the Prophet Muhammad(صلى الله عليه وسلم )

Prophet Muhammad(صلى الله عليه وسلم ) was born in 570 AD in Makkah (city in present Saudi Arabia), in the family of Banu Hashim. His mother Bibi Aamina was from Banu Zuhra family. The genealogy of this tribe shows that it is directly linked with Prophet Abraham.

His father (Abdullah) died several weeks before his birth. His mother (Aminah) died when he was six/seven years old.

After his mother's death, his grandfather (Abdul-Muttalib) assumed guardianship of him.

Muhammad(صلى الله عليه وسلم ) was eight when his grandfather died, and he was taken into the care of his uncle (Abu Talib).

Abu Talib, chief of the Bani-Hashim clan within the Quraysh, then became the guardian of Muhammad from his eighth year.

Muhammad (صلى الله عليه وسلم ) was 6 year old. His mother died

When he was 6 year old, his mother decided to take him to visit his uncles in Yathrib. They stayed in Yathrib a month and Muhammad enjoyed the visit with his cousins, there he learned to swim and to fly a kite.

On their way back to Mecca, however, Aminah became ill and died. Muhammad (pbuh) returned sadly to Mecca with his mother's maid. He was now six years old and had lost both his father and mother.

He was then adopted by his grandfather, Abd al-Muttalib, who loved him dearly and kept him by his side at all times. It was the custom of Abd al-Muttalib (tribe) to sit on a blanket near the Kabah. There he was always surrounded by people who had come to speak to him. No one was allowed to sit on the blanket with him, however, except his grandson Muhammad (pbuh), which shows how close they were to each other.

Muhammad(صلى الله عليه وسلم ) was 8 year old. His grandfather died

His grandfather Abd al-Muttalib became ill and Muhammad stayed by him constantly. Abd al-Muttalib told his son, Abu Talib, to adopt Muhammad after his death, which he did.

There are many stories told about Mohammed’s youth. Some tell of how he used to take the family's sheep to graze and was always kind to them. While they grazed he would sit thinking about the mysteries of nature. Unlike those around him he never worshipped the idols and never swore by them.

He also wondered why people were always struggling for power and money, and this saddened him and made him feel lonely, but he kept his feelings to himself. He was a quiet, thoughtful boy, and rarely played with other boys of his age.